The IELTS Speaking cue cards are prompts for the second part of the exam. A topic, along with a few pointers, is provided to the candidate, and they must speak on it for a couple of minutes. This particular task assesses students’ ability to speak at length on a given subject, demonstrating vocabulary, fluency, and grammatical range. Some of the common topics include describing people, places, or any incident. The blog contains the IELTS cue card topic, “Describe a Time You Made a Promise to Someone”. Read the samples along with the follow-up questions and their answers. First, let us begin by understanding all about cue cards.
Table of Contents
A cue card is a prompt given in the IELTS Speaking Part 2 of the Speaking test. Students will have one minute to prepare and two minutes to speak on a given topic. This particular section aims to assess a candidate's ability to organize thoughts and fluency, along with the appropriate use of vocabulary and grammar. To succeed in this task, it is vital to utilize the preparation time and organize the ideas properly. The IELTS speaking section focuses on evaluating the ability to speak smoothly and logically, using a range of vocabulary.
To answer a cue card in the IELTS speaking part 2, use the one minute of preparation time to note down keywords for a structured response. Further, during your two-minute speaking time, provide a clear introduction, develop your points with details and examples. Besides, using a natural language along with transition words ensures fluency. Moreover, it is essential to use appropriate vocabulary for IELTS, such as idioms, phrases, and more, in your response. The answer to “Describe a Time You Made a Promise to Someone” must include the following pointers:
You will get a minute to prepare your thoughts and then speak on the topic provided in the IELTS speaking part 2. Now, let us see what the cue card looks like.
Here is a sample response for your reference. This will help you to ace the IELTS speaking section of the exam.
Promises, we all make them at some point in time, right? I have made promises at several moments in life, but there is one particular incident that I clearly remember.
It was my best friend's 16th birthday, and exams were around the corner. She was really worried about the upcoming exams, and so I made a promise to her that I would help her.
She always struggled with mathematics, and I assured her that I would help her prepare well. I made sure that we would practice concepts together till the exams.
The reason I made this promise was that she is my closest friend and has been with me through difficult times. Besides, I wanted to support her and solve her problem. Moreover, I knew that all she needed was some guidance to gain confidence and ace the exams.
Certainly, fulfilling the promise was not that easy. This is because I had my own preparations to focus on, and I had to balance clearing her concepts. Both these tasks of managing my study schedule and teaching her required careful time management. Sometimes we studied and practiced math questions late at night. Yet, seeing her gradually improve and become more confident gave me motivation.
In the end, she passed the subject with good marks, and I felt deeply satisfied. Not only because I kept my promise, but also because this experience taught me that promises are more than just words. They are commitments that strengthen trust and the bond between people.
Here is a sample response for your reference. This will help you to score well in the IELTS speaking part 2 of the exam.
Well, today I would like to talk about a time that I made a promise to someone really special.
I vividly remember making a promise to my little sister on one occasion. She was about to participate in a school fancy dress competition and was worried about walking the ramp in front of so many people. She lacked confidence.
I promised her that I would help her prepare her outfit and the entire look. Besides, I also promised her that I would help her rehearse until she felt ready to stand on stage.
I made the promise because I knew how talented she was, but her nervousness always held her back. I wanted her to shine and believe in her own abilities. Besides, she always looks up to me, and I knew if I gave her a little push, then she could do wonders.
Keeping this promise was a little bit challenging as I had my college assignments piling up. However, I rearranged my schedule to devote time to her. We practiced in front of a mirror, and I guided them to walk with confidence. At times, it was difficult to encourage her, but after a few hours, she walked like she owned the stage.
It was truly mesmerizing to watch her confidently walk, and she even won second place. I saw her smiling on the stage, and it filled me with immense pride. She later said that my promise gave her the courage to perform.
Here is a sample response for your reference. This will help you to ace the IELTS speaking section of the exam.
Promises, I realized, are a way of showing love and responsibility toward people we care about. A time I clearly remember making a promise was during college.
It was one of my really close friends who was preparing for a campus job interview. He was extremely anxious about the job interview process.
It was particularly the speaking round that he was worried about. So, I promised him that I would conduct mock interviews with him every evening until he became confident.
The motivation behind my promise was that he had always been helpful to me in academic projects. I wanted to return the favor and encourage him during a crucial phase of his life.
Keeping this promise wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. Gaining speaking skills requires consistent effort, and he often loses motivation. On days when he wanted to give up, I had to push a little more than the usual. At the same time, I had to prepare for my own interviews. It demanded patience and persistence, but eventually, he cleared the interview and received a job offer.
He thanked me warmly, saying that my promise and my efforts gave him moral support. This strengthened my belief that promises should not be made casually; as and when they are fulfilled with sincerity, they create a lasting impact.
Here is a list of lexical resources along with their meanings. These words have been taken from the samples above that will help you enhance your responses in the IELTS cue cards section.
| Lexical Resources | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Incident | Something that happens; happening; occurrence. |
| Struggled | To try very hard to do something, especially when it is difficult. |
| Fulfilling | Satisfying or rewarding, especially by meeting the emotional need for meaning, challenge, growth, success, etc. |
| Vividly | In a way that is very clear, powerful, and detailed in your mind. |
| Commitments | The state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc. |
| Nervousness | A quality of feeling anxious, worried, or alarmed. |
| Gave a Little Push | To provide a gentle encouragement or incentive to achieve a goal. |
| Piling Up | Increase in amount or quantity, either physically or abstractly, to the point of becoming a large, often excessive, collection or accumulation. |
| Mesmerizing | Very attractive, in a mysterious way, making you want to keep looking. |
| Immense | Extremely large or great in size, amount, or degree. |
| Anxious | Full of mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune; greatly worried; apprehensive. |
| Persistence | The quality of continuing to do something or try to achieve a goal, even when it's difficult or you face opposition. |
After you complete speaking on the topic provided in the cue card, the next part of the IELTS speaking section is follow-up questions. This consists of a few questions related to the cue card provided. Moreover, the difficulty of questions may range from easy and medium to hard. Thus, you may even take a few online IELTS classes to prepare well for this section. Generally, there are about 5-7 follow-up questions.
1. Do You Think It Is Always Important to Keep a Promise, Even If It Becomes Difficult?
According to me, it is important to make promises and keep them. However, it may not always be possible or advisable to do so when it becomes difficult or harmful in any manner. If a promise becomes too difficult to keep, then communicating the entire situation honestly to the other person is crucial to avoid further damage to trust.
2. How Does Making a Promise Influence a Person's Overall Responsibility or Character?
Making and keeping promises establishes a person as dependable as well as consistent. Moreover, it is the foundation for strong personal and professional relationships. Fulfilling a promise shows reliability and commitment, enhancing a person's credibility. When a person honors their word, it can influence their overall responsibility and character.
3. In Your Opinion, How Do Promises Help Build Trust and Connection in Relationships?
Promises, when kept, build trust, demonstrating reliability, accountability, and respect, fostering a sense of security that strengthens the relationship's foundation. Consistently following through on both big and small commitments reinforces that one's actions align with their words. So basically, when actions consistently match words, it creates a safe environment, fostering trust and connection.
4. Do Most People Fulfill Their Promises?
According to me, not a lot of people fulfill their promises, as studies show that people underestimate promise-keeping. A variety of reasons include the intentional or unintentional complexity of keeping a promise, different personal attitudes toward commitment, and the frequent failure to keep even self-imposed promises. However, there are several people who do keep their promises and fulfill them no matter what.
5. How Do You Feel When Others Break Their Promises?
When someone breaks a promise, it makes me feel a range of emotions, including disappointment, betrayal, and frustration. I am a sensitive person in general; thus, when people break their promises, I feel hurt. As per research, this experience can lead to a loss of trust, making you feel anxious in the future. I feel that trust is fundamental to connection, and repeated broken promises can damage relationships.
Here are a few tips to excel in the IELTS cue card round. These will help you improve and achieve your desired score.
Overall, the IELTS speaking section is considered one of the most challenging parts of the exam. Thus, students must practice well for this particular part and use the IELTS band score calculator to improve. Besides, we have covered the cue card topic“Describe a Time You Made a Promise to Someone” for reference, along with its three samples. If you are facing issues or want to explore more about the speaking section, then join our IELTS course.
We are available in :
BangaloreAhmedabadJaipurHyderabadKeralaPuneChandigarhMumbaiGurgaonChennaiKolkataTrivandrumNoidaKochiCalicutKottayamKollamThrissurIndoreUdaipurdisclaimer:logos and other registered trademarks of universities used on this platform are held by their respective owners. Gradding does not claim ownership or association on them, and their use is purely for informational and illustrative purposes.
